Gender Neutral Housing Pilot Program

We are pleased to continue the Gender-Neutral Housing (GNH) option for the 2012-2013 academic year.  It is our hope that this pilot program will broaden students' choices and help ensure living arrangements that are welcoming and inclusive for all members of our community.  

What is gender-neutral housing?

Gender-neutral housing (GNH) allows students of different genders to share the same unit or apartment. 

All students assigned to a GNH suite, must opt-in. This opt-in program will allow students of different genders to be assigned to the same two-room double or apartment. During the housing selection process, students will answer yes, no, or no preference to the following GNH question: “Do you choose to live in Gender-Neutral Housing?”  ONLY students who select yes will be opt-in. 

Students who do not opt-in will continue to be assigned to co-ed buildings by suite, but not to the same room.

Which houses offer gender-neutral housing?

Currently, the GNH option is not limited to a particular residence and will be available in any residence available to the student as determined by their class year. Students will simply answer affirmatively to the GNH question and indicate their preferred roommate(s) of the opposite sex in our housing application.  As with any roommate match, all matches must be mutual.

Who can take advantage of this pilot program?

This program is intended for students who wish to share a room or apartment with friends of a different gender. It is not intended for romantic couples.

How does the program work?

Students interested in this option must

1. Communicate with their prospective roommate group and share RMSIDs.  Students should protect their RMSID as they would their keys and not share this ID number with students with whom they do not desire to live.

2. Complete the iHousing application during their designated application period, answering affirmatively to the GNH lifestyle question and indicating their preferred roommate(s).

3. Students must communicate with GW Housing Programs: All prospective GNH residents will be contacted by a GW Housing Programs professional staff member to confirm their commitment to the gender-neutral rooming option.
   

Please note: Even if you and your chosen roommate are both assigned to the proper residence and room type, you still may not be allowed a gender neutral assignment if allowing it will force a random gender neutral assignment elsewhere in the residence.

No Random Roommates

Students will not be matched with a random opposite-gender roommate through this process.

Roommate pairings match Room Size

As with any roommate group, keep in mind that your intended roommate pairings must match the size of the rooms available to you.  For example, if you are a rising second-year student, it is improbable that you will be assigned to a 4-person space.  Please refer to our iHousing information about room size percentages available by class year.

What happens if one of the roommates cancels their assignment or leaves mid-year?

If one student cancels or leaves during the year, the remaining student(s) can request another roommate, or the entire space will revert to single gender (based on the majority of students remaining in the room/apartment). This may involve reassignments of some students.

Roommate Conflicts

If a student has a conflict with a roommate because of their gender identity/expression, the student should see their Community Director first. Other resources available include the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Resource Center.